What makes a quilt modern?
11-08-2023, 03:33 AM
#1
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What makes a quilt modern?
I listened to a podcast that discussed what makes a quilt modern. There were different opinions on the definition.
I like to think every quilt is simply called a Quilt. How we piece the fabric into quilt tops is up to us and our artistic expression.
What are your thoughts on what makes a quilt be classified as Modern?
I like to think every quilt is simply called a Quilt. How we piece the fabric into quilt tops is up to us and our artistic expression.
What are your thoughts on what makes a quilt be classified as Modern?
11-08-2023, 05:08 AM
#2
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Location: The Finger Lakes of upstate NY
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Colors, shapes, sizes.
In a discussion of possible fabrics for Bonnie Hunter's new mystery, someone mentioned that they prefer more modern looking quilts, then showed 2 possible fabric pulls. One was in the suggested colors (indigo, red, light blue + neutrals). The other was yellows, greys, black and light neutrals. The second grouping definitely had a more modern feel, even though the reds and blues of the first grouping were more modern prints (as opposed to calicos, for example).
I find patterns for modern quilts have, in general, larger (and therefore fewer) pieces. Chunkier squares and rectangles with some triangles, rarely stars - a mainstay of many more traditional quilts.
In a discussion of possible fabrics for Bonnie Hunter's new mystery, someone mentioned that they prefer more modern looking quilts, then showed 2 possible fabric pulls. One was in the suggested colors (indigo, red, light blue + neutrals). The other was yellows, greys, black and light neutrals. The second grouping definitely had a more modern feel, even though the reds and blues of the first grouping were more modern prints (as opposed to calicos, for example).
I find patterns for modern quilts have, in general, larger (and therefore fewer) pieces. Chunkier squares and rectangles with some triangles, rarely stars - a mainstay of many more traditional quilts.
11-08-2023, 06:16 AM
#3
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Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
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There are always variations that prove the rule. Plenty of modern quilts use lots of pieces, but I'd say that there are large blocks of space (pieced or not) and often a lack of an overall grid structure in modern quilts. I think in many ways a lot of what is popular in terms of broken or disappearing blocks is modern, as are jellyroll race type projects.
Michael James was one of the first Modern quilters I was aware of, but that was back in the 70s and 80s, so in time line 40+ years ago.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michae..._(quilt_artist)
I understand the desire to call them all "quilts" and that we are all "quilters" without further breakdowns. Having said that I consider most of my work to be "contemporary adaptations of traditional patterns". For me personally, quilts are a craft, that is a functional object. There are other people who do textile art in a quilted form. That doesn't mean both aren't valid or that they aren't both the same and different at the same time.
There are certainly design considerations between someone doing a yard or smaller wall quilt and someone doing a king sized bed quilt. Comfort and washability and perspective/point of view -- how far away from the piece do you have to be to recognize the design as well as things like sides/borders hanging down and being non-visible.
To judge art/quilts, you need to understand what it is the artist/quilter is trying to express and categories help with that. How can you really judge between an excellent Baltimore Album appliqued top or a exquisite Modern top that is pushing our boundaries/understand of what can be done with fabric and the work of machines or human hands.
Michael James was one of the first Modern quilters I was aware of, but that was back in the 70s and 80s, so in time line 40+ years ago.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michae..._(quilt_artist)
I understand the desire to call them all "quilts" and that we are all "quilters" without further breakdowns. Having said that I consider most of my work to be "contemporary adaptations of traditional patterns". For me personally, quilts are a craft, that is a functional object. There are other people who do textile art in a quilted form. That doesn't mean both aren't valid or that they aren't both the same and different at the same time.
There are certainly design considerations between someone doing a yard or smaller wall quilt and someone doing a king sized bed quilt. Comfort and washability and perspective/point of view -- how far away from the piece do you have to be to recognize the design as well as things like sides/borders hanging down and being non-visible.
To judge art/quilts, you need to understand what it is the artist/quilter is trying to express and categories help with that. How can you really judge between an excellent Baltimore Album appliqued top or a exquisite Modern top that is pushing our boundaries/understand of what can be done with fabric and the work of machines or human hands.
11-08-2023, 06:35 AM
#4
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My latest two tone Drunkards Path would be considered a Modern Quilt in my opinion. See the quilt in "PICTURES". I made if because I needed a distraction when a loved one passed away (1st husband) and just to see if it was difficult to do or not. Have discovered that this one isn't my style of quilt at all. Perhaps other Drunkards Paths in a variety of colors mixed together would be.
11-08-2023, 07:58 AM
#5
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The Modern Quilt Guild that I was part of for a while had a lot of informal rules as to what was modern. One of them seemed to be to use only fabrics from one of the "Modern fabric designers" I think the origin of the modern quilting movement was to make simple quilts with lots of background and a few large differently placed piecing objects in it using what you had on hand. Also low volume and also using non-traditional colors then what is usually taught in a color theory class. Also simple quilting, none of the fancy feather things. Anyway, I went back to using my fabric stash with the occasional new fabric purchase. all the rules as to what made a "Modern Quilt" in that group just got to me. I thought they were trying to be Modern quilt police! Wasn't the Gee'sBend quilts the inspiration for the Modern Quilt movement?
11-08-2023, 01:25 PM
#7
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Location: Lake Elsinore, CA
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My opinion? If you can't define it, maybe it doesn't exist.
I belonged to the local MQG chapter for a while. It was a small group (as in fewer than 20 members) and I liked the other ladies, who were mostly younger than me. Because it was a small group we didn't have the resources to hire speakers, so members of the group did demonstrations or classes during meetings. As one of the more experienced quilters in the group, I led several of those, not teaching "modern" quilting, but introducing the other members to different types of quilting. Most of them had no concept of the many different types of quilts that peacefully coexist and are appreciated in traditional quilt guilds and quilt shows. But after a while, I realized I wasn't getting anything out of the meetings. Then I realized that dues for this very small group were higher than for any of the other guilds in the area, and the reason was that a substantial portion of the dues went to the parent organization, which provided no services at all to the local guild, other than an online presence. I went to the MQG show in Pasadena and was generally unimpressed with the quality of the quilts, even some that had won awards.
The word "modern" bothers me. Vintage Amish quilts show the simplicity of design and large expanses of fabric in many "modern" quilts. Improvisational piecing existed long before the modern quilt movement started. (At one of the MQG meetings that I attended when I was still a member, someone showed a quilt with improvisational piecing. The members seemed to think this was something new that belonged to the modern quilt movement. At the next meeting I brought in a vintage quilt, probably from the 1930's or 40's, done entirely with improvisational piecing. I'm not sure anyone really got the point; it wasn't made with fabrics that they recognized from current designers.) But the thing that probably bothers me the most is that the modern quilt movement can be very restrictive. There are many types of quilts. I don't make make them all, but I appreciate them all. New quilters who get caught up in the MQG movement and only go to MQG shows aren't being exposed to the incredible diversity in quilting.
I belonged to the local MQG chapter for a while. It was a small group (as in fewer than 20 members) and I liked the other ladies, who were mostly younger than me. Because it was a small group we didn't have the resources to hire speakers, so members of the group did demonstrations or classes during meetings. As one of the more experienced quilters in the group, I led several of those, not teaching "modern" quilting, but introducing the other members to different types of quilting. Most of them had no concept of the many different types of quilts that peacefully coexist and are appreciated in traditional quilt guilds and quilt shows. But after a while, I realized I wasn't getting anything out of the meetings. Then I realized that dues for this very small group were higher than for any of the other guilds in the area, and the reason was that a substantial portion of the dues went to the parent organization, which provided no services at all to the local guild, other than an online presence. I went to the MQG show in Pasadena and was generally unimpressed with the quality of the quilts, even some that had won awards.
The word "modern" bothers me. Vintage Amish quilts show the simplicity of design and large expanses of fabric in many "modern" quilts. Improvisational piecing existed long before the modern quilt movement started. (At one of the MQG meetings that I attended when I was still a member, someone showed a quilt with improvisational piecing. The members seemed to think this was something new that belonged to the modern quilt movement. At the next meeting I brought in a vintage quilt, probably from the 1930's or 40's, done entirely with improvisational piecing. I'm not sure anyone really got the point; it wasn't made with fabrics that they recognized from current designers.) But the thing that probably bothers me the most is that the modern quilt movement can be very restrictive. There are many types of quilts. I don't make make them all, but I appreciate them all. New quilters who get caught up in the MQG movement and only go to MQG shows aren't being exposed to the incredible diversity in quilting.
11-09-2023, 02:06 AM
#8
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Location: Corpus Christi, Texas
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When a quilt is labeled traditional, I expect to see flying geese and stars, etc.
I think of modern as non-traditional. I have never made a traditional quilt. Most of my designs start with, "What if..." I just say that I make quilts that "aren't like your grandmother's." Are they modern? I would give them that label.
Question: I'm working on a design for a Temperature Quilt. Would you call it a traditional or modern quilt?
I think of modern as non-traditional. I have never made a traditional quilt. Most of my designs start with, "What if..." I just say that I make quilts that "aren't like your grandmother's." Are they modern? I would give them that label.
Question: I'm working on a design for a Temperature Quilt. Would you call it a traditional or modern quilt?
Last edited by aashley333; 11-09-2023 at 02:09 AM.
11-09-2023, 11:46 AM
#9
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What makes a quilt "modern"? Probably having the opposite characteristics of a quilt that is considered "traditional". Lol.
I'm with Dunster, the term bothers me. In my experience, certain people who like to use it often sometimes come across as a little... contemptuous. They seem to regard anything not considered modern as less than.
As with ALL art forms, there is room for everything and everyone, and I think exposure and experimentation of all different styles makes all of us better artists and quilters.
I'm with Dunster, the term bothers me. In my experience, certain people who like to use it often sometimes come across as a little... contemptuous. They seem to regard anything not considered modern as less than.
As with ALL art forms, there is room for everything and everyone, and I think exposure and experimentation of all different styles makes all of us better artists and quilters.
11-10-2023, 12:27 AM
#10
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Join Date: Jan 2022
Posts: 80
Modern quilts are kind of two things. One is quilts that follow the aesthetics of later-period modern art, because it's popular and having a distinct style makes it easy to produce items to sell. The other is more inline with the objectives of modern art: a deliberate examination and deconstruction of quilting as a practice with a goal of exploring what a quilt is/ can be.
Is it a still a bow-tie quilt if it's just one giant bow-tie block? What about improvising something really structured and precise like a double-wedding ring? Just how photo-realistic a portrait can I make out of fabric pieces? I think that kind of stuff is really cool, but it's also less common than just the aesthetic type. Most people aren't making art quilts; they just want to follow a good pattern and have a nice product at the end of it. No shame in that, but I'm gonna roll my eyes if you try and tell me it's deeper than a nice log cabin quilt made out of civil war prints.
Is it a still a bow-tie quilt if it's just one giant bow-tie block? What about improvising something really structured and precise like a double-wedding ring? Just how photo-realistic a portrait can I make out of fabric pieces? I think that kind of stuff is really cool, but it's also less common than just the aesthetic type. Most people aren't making art quilts; they just want to follow a good pattern and have a nice product at the end of it. No shame in that, but I'm gonna roll my eyes if you try and tell me it's deeper than a nice log cabin quilt made out of civil war prints.
